Following its success in China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Thailand, the Business Innovation Congress opened its first congress in the Philippines at Conrad Manila with the theme: “Business Transformation in a Digital Ecosystem.”

“Business Innovation Congress aims to support local businesses in exploring future industrial trends as well as promote the Philippines as a good investment place,” said founder Dr. Konstantin Schamber in his opening speech.

Over 200 C-level delegates from around the globe gathered to learn about new market trends, as well as product and service innovations, happening around the world, and to engage in intellectual exchange and in-depth discussions of innovations that will shape the future of businesses in multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural environments.

“With more and more competitors entering the market, businesses across all industries are under constant pressure to do things better, faster, to do more with less, not only to survive, but to be able to compete and thrive,” said Florian Gottein, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Executive Director.

The congress featured forums and breakout sessions that gave delegates the opportunity to explore innovation topics in depth. Among the topics explored were Industry 4.0, future trends, cybersecurity, leadership capability, the future of mobility, intellectual property issues of digital innovations, and how the internet of things and blockchain technology are changing businesses.

His Excellency the Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines Franz Jessen mentioned the importance and perspectives of international cooperation by calling for the development of mutual projects and strengthening the basis of trust.

The Business Innovation Congress 2018 brought together experts and innovation leaders such as Raimund Klein (Siemens),  Jose Teodoro Limcaoco (Ayala Corporation), Heiko Nitsche (Mercedes-Benz Thailand Ltd.), Vladimir Pirojkov (Kinetica – Design and Innovation Center), Kari Vinther Nielsen (LEGO), Dr. Donald Patrick Lim (Dentsu Aegis Network Philippines), Byron Heath (Siemens), Kenneth Lingan (Google Philippines), Tobias Rast (PEGOTEC), Jannis Dargel (ZALORA), Anne Marie Celeste Jumadla (RevoIPmente Innovation Management Services), Cornelius Bakker (MGC (NLD) BV), Cindy Jensen (INPOWERONE), Karl-Heinz Hessenthaler (MITTELSTAND INTERNATIONAL),Hubert Poels (WATCO Group Pte Ltd.), Dennis Omila (UnionBank), Stephanie Fabian (Australian – New Zealand Chamber of Commerce), Dakila Carlo Cua (House of Representatives), Jose Luis Yulo, Jr. (Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands), Joseph Pacamarra (CERT), Sheila Lobien (ECCP), Carlo Ople (PLDT Inc.), Lothar Grad (Schletter (Shanghai) Solar Technology Co., Ltd.), and Bo Lundqvist (Nordic Chamber of the Philippines).

The Business Innovation Congress Manila 2018 was organized by the Center for Strategic Intercultural Communication GmbH, Germany, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation ASEAN, Thailand, and the German-Chinese Association of Medium-Sized Enterprises – MITTELSTAND INTERNATIONAL, China and was managed by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. Main sponsors were San Miguel Corporation (Gold), UnionBank of the Philippines and PLDT Inc.  (Silver).

About the Business Innovation Congress:

Founded in Germany in 2012, the first BUSINESS INNOVATION CONGRESS took place in Beijing in 2013, followed by Shanghai in 2014, Almaty in 2016, Moscow in 2017, and Bangkok in 2017 as well. The main objective of the BUSINESS INNOVATION CONGRESS 2018 in Manila is to explore new market trends, products, services, and technological innovation, as well as support SMEs, start-ups and leading corporations connect with each other and maximize utilization of new digital business tools towards global competitiveness.

This article was originally published in When in Manila last November 27, 2018.